Apparatus for controlling railway switches



Jan. 23, 1945. D. F. COBOURN 2,367,716

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY SWITCHES Filed April 1'7, 1943 INVENTOR H149 ATTO RN EY Patented Jan. 23, 1945 APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING RAILWAY SWITCHES Delbert F. Cobourn, Portsmouth, Ohio, assignor to The Union Switch and Signal Company, Swissvale, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application April 17, 1943, Serial No. 483,404

8 Claims.

My invention relates to apparatus for controlling railway switches, and particularly to apparatus suitable for controlling direct acting switch movements which are utilized in car retarder yards for diverting cars from the hump into the desired classification tracks.

Apparatus of the type described usually employs a track relay controlled by a track circuit extending in either direction from the switch for at times modifying the control of the switch in accordance with trafiic conditions adjacent the switch. This track relay is frequently located in a control tower remote from the switch, and one object of my invention is to decrease the number of control wires between the track relay and the switch.

I accomplish the aforementioned object by employing in place of the usual neutral track relay a polarized track relay controlled by a pole changer Operatively connected with the switch.

I shall describe one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and shall then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

' The accompanying drawing is a diagrammatic view showing one form of apparatus embodying my invention.

Referring to the drawing, the reference characters l and la designate the track rails of a stretch A of railway track, the one rail I of which is divided by means of insulated joints 2 to form a track section BC. Located in section BC is a track switch E which connects the stretch A with a stretch of track J. The switch E is operated by suitable switchoperating mechanism here shown as a motor M com-, prising a cylinder 4 containing a piston 5 cperatively connected with the switch. Fluid under pressure, usually compressed air, is at times supplied to one end or the other of motor M from a suitable source not shown in the drawing, and the supply of such fluid is controlled by a switch valve designated in general by the reference character V. The valve V comprises a normal magnet N and a reverse magnet R.

As shown in the drawing, the switch occupies its normal position. If now, reverse magnet R is energized, fluid pressure will be supplied to motor C to operate switch E to its reverse position. If, when the switch occupies its reverse position, magnet N is energized, valve V will supply fiuid pressure to motor M to restore switch E to its normal position. One form of switch valve which will operate in the manner just outlined is described in Letters Patent of the United States No. 1,238,888,g ranted September 4, 1917,

to John P. Coleman, for Railway traffic controlling apparatus.

The section BC is provided with a polarized track circuit comprising a polarized track relay D connected across the rails at one end of the section, and a track battery 3 connected across the rails at the other end of the section over the pole changing contacts of a pole changer P. The pole changer P is operatively connected with the switch E, and its contacts are so arranged that relay D will be energized in its normal or its reverse direction according as switch E occupies its normal or its reverse position. Relay D is. provided with neutral front contacts Ill-40a and I3--l3a, neutral back contacts I0-l0b, I3l3b and IS, a normal polar contact I5|5a and a reverse polar contact Iii-I51), and is of the type which retains its polar contacts in their last operated positions until the relay is energized by current of the opposit polarity to that which caused them to move to such positions.

Also Operatively connected with the switch E is a circuit controller F comprising a contact 66a which is closed when and only when switch E occupies its normal position and a contact 6--6b which is closed when and only when switch E occupies its reverse position.

The magnets N and R of switch valve V are controlled by the circuit controller F, by the relay D and by a manually operable lever L.

The lever L will usually be one of a number of similar levers located in a control cabin at a point remote from the switch, and as here shown is capable of assuming a normal position n and a reverse position 1'. Operatively connected with the lever L are two contact arms 8 and 9. When the lever occupies its normal position in which it is shown in the drawing, the contact arm 8 engages a fixed contact member 8n to close a normal contact 8-872 and the contact arm 9 engages a fixed contact member 911. to close a normal contact 9-9n, whereas when the lever occupies its reverse position, the arm 8 then engages a fixed contact member 8r to close a reverse contact 8-81 and the arm 9 engages a fixed contact member 9r to close a reverse contact 9-91.

As shown in the drawing, all parts are in their normal positions. That is to say, lever L occupies its normal position, switch E occupies its normal position, and section BC is unoccupied so that track relay D is energized in its normal direction. Under these conditions, magnet N is energized by virtue of a circuit passing from the left-hand half of a battery K through normal contact 8--8n of lever L, front contact Ill-Illa of relay D, wire H, the winding of magnet N, an asymmetric unit Ul in its low resistance direction, and common wire l2 back to battery K. Since magnet N is energized, fluid pressure is constantly supplied to motor M to hold the switch in its normal position. Furthermore, under these conditions, an indication circuit is closed for the normal indication lamp I-I'N passing from the right-hand half of battery K through common wire 12, an asymmetric unit U2 in its low resistance direction, normal contact 66a of circuit controller F, front contact l3--l3a of relay D, contact 99n of lever L, and the filament of lamp HN back to battery K. Lamp HN is therefore energized to indicate that the switch and lever both occupy their normal positions and section B-C is unoccupied.

I shall now assume that the parts are in the positions in which they are shown in the drawing and that the towerman who has charge of lever L wishes to reverse switch E. To do this, he will move lever L from its normal position 11 to its reverse position 1', thus opening contacts 8-811 and 9-9n and closing contacts 8-81 and 9Sr. The opening of contacts 8-8n and 9-91: interrupt, respectively, the previously traced circuit for the magnet N and for the indication lamp HN, so that these parts now both become deenergized, while the closing of reverse contact 9-9r completes a circuit for the reverse magnet R passing from the left-hand side of battery K through contact 9-9r of lever L, front contact l3l3a,of relay D, wire I4, the winding of magnet R, an asymmetric unit U3 in its low resistance direction, and common wire l2 back to'battery'K. Magnet R therefore become energized and causes switch E to move to its reverse position. This movement of the switch operates pole changer P, and thus causes relay D to become energized in the reverse direction and reverse its polar contacts. The reversal of the polar contacts of relay D under these conditions, however, has no eflect on the remainder of the apparatus. The movement of the switch to its everse position also opens normal contact 6- 611 of circuit controller F and closes reverse contact 6-6b. When reverse contact 66b becomes closed, a'circuit is completed for the reverse indication lamp HR passing from the right-hand half of battery K through wire I2, asymmetric unit U2 in'its low resistance direction, reverse contact 6-617 ofcircuit controller F, front contact Ill-Hia'oi' relay D, reverse contact 8-8r of lever L, and'the filament of lamp HR to battery K. The completion of this circuit causes lamp HRto become lighted to indicate that the position of the switch and the position of lever L- agree and that section B-'C is unoccupied.

If, after the switch E has been moved to its reverse position in the manner just described,'the towerman desires to restore it to its normal position, he will restore lever L to its normal position. Under these conditions, as soon as the lever is moved away from its reverse position, th reverse indication circuit will become interrupted at contact 8--8r of lever L which will cause lamp HR to become extinguished, and the reverse control circuit will become interrupted at contact 99r of lever L which will cause the reverse magnet R to become deenergized; and when the lever reaches its normal position, the resulting closing of contact 8-811 of lever L will complete the pre viously described circuit for the normal magnet Ni The normal magnet N-will "therefore-become energized and will cause the switch to move to its normal position. The movement of the switch to its normal position will operate pole changer P and thus cause relay D to again become energized in its normal direction. Furthermore, when the switch reache its full normal position, normal contact 6,6a of circuit controller G will become closed and will complete the Previously traced indication circuit for the normal indication lamp HN. Lamp HN will then become lighted to indicate that the switch and lever both occupy their normal positions.

I shall now assume that the switch occupies its normal position and that a train enters section 3-0. The presence of the train in this section will deenergize the track relay D, and this relay will therefore open its front contacts I0-i0a and i3'l3a and close its back contacts Ill-40b. l3-l3b and 16. The opening of front contacts l0l0a and |3|3a will open all control circuits which were previously traced from the magnets N and R thus preventing operation of the switch by means of lever L as long as the train remains in section B-C. The opening of front contact l3-|3a of relay D will also interrupt the normal indication circuit including lamp HN, thus causing this lamp to become extinguished. The closing of back contact iii of relay D will complete a locking circuit for the normal control magnet N passing from the left-hand half of battery K through back contact l6 of relay D, normal contact l5--l5a of relay D, back contact Ill-40b of relay D, wire II, the winding of normal magnet N, asymmetric unit UI in its low resistance direc tion, and common wire l2 back to battery K. This circuit will maintain magnet N energized under these conditions and will insure that the switch will remain in its normal position.

If a train enters section B--C when the switch occupies its reverse position, the operation of the apparatus will be similar to that just described when the switch occupies its normal position with the exception that under these latter conditions theopening of contacts III-Illa and |3-I3a of relay D will interrupt the reverse indication circuit for lamp HR and the normal energizing circuit for the reverse magnet R while the closing of back contact [6 of relay D will complete an auxiliary energizing circuit from the reverse magnet R passing from the left-hand half of battery Kthrough back contact IQ of relay D, reverse contact I5l5b of relay D, back contact l3-I8b of relay D, wire 14, the winding of reverse magnet R, asymmetric unit U3 in its low resistance direction, and common wire [2 back to battery'K.

One advantage of apparatus embodying my invention is that only three control wires are required between the track relay D and the switch machine.

Although I have herein shown and described only one form of apparatus for controlling railway switches embodying my invention, it is understood that various changes and modifications may be made'therein within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In combination'a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, a switch located in said. track section, a track circuit for said track section including a polarized'track relay controlled by a'pole 'changer operatively connected with said switch'a normal and a reverse control magnet-for controlling movements or said'switch to normal and reverse positions respectively, a control lever having normal and reversepositions, means including front contacts of said polarized track relay for normally energizing said normal or said reverse magnet according as said lever occupies its normal or its reverse position, and other means for energizing said normal or said reverse magnet when said track relay becomes deenergized according as the normal or reverse polar contacts of said relay are then closed.

2. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, a switch located in said track section, a track circuit for said track section including a polarized track relay controlled by a pole changer operatively connected with said switch, a normal and a reverse control magnet for controlling movements. of said switch to normal and reverse positions respectively, a control lever having normal and reverse positions, means including front contacts of said polarized track relay for normally energizing said normal or said reverse magnet according as said lever occupies its normal or its reverse position, and means for retaining said switch in whichever extreme position it occupies when said section becomes occupied comprising auxiliary control circuits for said normal and reverse magnets controlled by polar contacts of said polar relay.

3. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a normal and a reverse magnet, means for moving said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a. polarized relay responsive to trafi'ic conditions adjacent said switch and arranged to be energized in a normal or a reverse direction according as said switch occupies its normal or its reverse position, lever means for selectively energizing said normal or said reverse magnet when said polar relay is energized, and means controlled by the polar contacts of said polarized relay for at times selectively energizing said normal and reverse magnets when said relay is deenergized.

4. In combination, a railway switch having normal and reverse positions, a normal and a reverse magnet, means for moving said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a polarized relay responsive to trafiic conditions adjacent said switch and arranged to be energized. in a normal or a reverse direction according as said switch occupies its normal or its reverse position, lever means for selectively energizing said normal or said reverse magnet when said polar relay is energized, means controlled by the polar contacts of said polarized relay for at times selectively energizing said normal and reverse magnets when said relay is deenergized, and indication means controlled by said switch, said lever, and said relay for indicating when said switch and said lever occupy corresponding positions provided said relay is then energized.

5. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, a railway track switch located in said track section, a polarized track circuit for said track section including a polarized track relay controlled by a pole changer operated by said switch in such manner that said relay will be energized in a normal or a reverse switch to its normal or its reverse position'according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a control lever movable to normal and reverse positions and provided with normal and reverse contacts, a first circuitfor said normal magnet including a normal contact of said lever and a front contact .of said relay, an auxiliary circuit for saidnormal magnet including a normal polar contact and a back contact'of said relay, a first circuit for said reverse magnet including a reverse contact ofsaid lever and a front contact of said relay, and an auxiliary circuit forv said reverse magnet including a reverse polar contact and a back contact of said relay.

6. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, a railway track switch located in said track section, a polarized track circuit for said track section including a polarized track relay controlled by-a pole changer operated by said switchin such manner that said relay will be-energized in a normal or a reverse direction according as said switch occupies its normal or its reverse position, a normal and a reverse control magnet, means for moving said switch to its normal or its reverse position'according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a control lever movable to normal and reverse positions and provided with normal and reverse contacts, a first control circuit for said normal magnet including a first normal contact of said lever, a first front contact of said relay, a first control wire and a common return wire, an auxiliary control circuit for said normal magnet including a normal polar contact of said relay, a back contact of said relay and said first control and common return wires, a first control circuit for said reverse magnet including a first reverse contact of said lever, a second front contact of said relay, a second control wire and said common return wire, and an auxiliary control circuit for said reverse magnet including a reverse polar contact of said relay, a back contact of said relay and said second control and common return wires.

7. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, a railway track switch located in said track section, a polarized track circuit for said track section including a polarized track relay controlled by a pole changer operated by said switch in such manner that said relay will be energized in a normal or a reverse direction according as said switch occupies its normal or its reverse position, a normal and a reverse control magnet, means for moving said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a control lever movable to normal and reverse positions and provided with normal and reverse contacts, a first control circuit for said normal magnet including a first normal contact of said lever, a first front contact of said relay, a first control wire and a common return wire, an auxiliary control circuit for said normal magnet including a normal polar contact of said relay, a back contact of said relay and said first control and common return wires, a first control circuit for said reverse magnet including a first reverse contact of said lever, a second front contact of said relay, a second control wire and said common return wire, an auxiliary control circuit from said reverse magnet including a reverse polar contact of said relay, :3, back contact of said relay and said second control and common return wires, a normal and a reverse indication lamp, a circuit controller operatively connected with said switch and including a first contact closed when and only when said switch occupies its normal position and a second con tact closed when and only when said switch occupies its reverse position; a normal indication circuit including a second normal contact of said lever, said second front contact of said relay, said second control wire, said first contact of said circuit controller, and said common return wire; and a reverse indication circuit including a second reverse contact of said lever, said first front contact of said relay, said first control wire, said second contact of said circuit controller, and said common return wire.

8. In combination, a stretch of railway track provided with a track section, a railway track switch located in said track section, a polarized track circuit for said track section including a polarized track relay controlled by a pole changer operated by said switch in such manner that said relay will be energized in a normal or a reverse direction according as said switch occupies its normal or its reverse position, a normal and a reverse control magnet, means for moving said switch to its normal or its reverse position according as said normal or said reverse magnet is energized, a control lever movable to normal and reverse positions and provided with normal and reverse contacts, a first control' circuit for said normal magnet including a first normal contact of said lever, a first front contact of said relay.

a first control wire and a common return wire, an auxiliary control circuit for said normal magnet including a normal polar contact of said relay, a back contact of said relay and said first control and common return wires, a first control circuit for said reverse magnet including a first reverse contact of said lever, a second front contact of said relay, a second control wire and said common return wire, an auxiliary control circuit for said reverse magnet including a reverse polar contact of said relay, a back contact of said relay and said second control and common return wires, a normal and a reverse indication lamp, a circuit controller ,operatively connected with said switch and including a first contact closed when and only when said switch occupies its normal position and a second contact closed when and only when said switch occupies its reverse position; a normal indication circuit including a second normal contact of said lever, said second front contact of said relay, said second control wire, said first contact of said circuit controller, and said common return wire; a reverse indication circuit including a second reverse contact of said lever, said first front contact of said relay, said first control wire, said second contact of said circuit controller, and said common return wire, and asymmetric units included in said circuits to permit them all to be energized from the same split battery.

DELBERT F. COBOURN. 

